Two theses, one for a master's degree and the other for a post-doctorate, suggest solutions to the centuries-old problems affecting the Brazilian Northeast. Anderson Pellegrino rescues theories formulated by economist Celso Furtado to show, in his master's thesis, that a national agenda project could reverse the region's "atavic nature" underdevelopment. José Vieira Camelo Filho makes a historical analysis of attempts to "revitalize" the semi-arid region, especially the São Francisco Valley, to propose that public policies include education, sustained development and the appreciation of local culture.

Professor Yong Park, from FEA, sent samples of Brazilian propolis for testing in Japan and celebrates the results: the resin that protects the hives contains dozens of times more flavonoids than vegetables. The flavonoids we ingest have proven action against dioxin, the so-called environmental hormone, which invades our cells and leads to the formation of carcinogens. Yong Park is recognized worldwide for research into the anti-cancer, anti-HIV and anti-cavity properties of propolis.

Doctoral thesis defended by a historian reveals the conceptual and aesthetic differences between photographs of Campinas taken by amateurs and professionals at the beginning of the 20th century. While professionals reinforced the construction of an image of the ideal city, amateurs surrendered to cultivating a art and the influences of photoclubism.

The Coordination of Interdisciplinary Research Centers and Nuclei (Cocen) launches, on November 5th, a specialized, plurilingual, electronic scientific journal focused on multidisciplinary studies. The first issue of Multiciência will feature articles on the environment.

Daniella Pucci de Farias, a former student at Unicamp and now an assistant professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), was elected the best postgraduate student at Stanford University, and her PhD thesis won first place in the 2002 edition of the George Dantzig Award.

The Agritempo system, which generates weather forecast maps in real time and was developed in partnership between Embrapa and Unicamp, has become an important tool for rural producers. The system gathers data from more than two thousand rainfall stations.